Emmerdale’s forgotten Dingle family stars now – from teaching to rival roles

Emmerdale’s Dingle family has been at the heart of the ITV soap for decades and viewers may feel nostalgic as they reflect back on past characters on the show

Emmerdale fans were left heartbroken this week as the Dingle family received the devastating news of patriarch Zak Dingle’s death.

Steve Halliwell, who portrayed Zak, tragically passed away last December at 77 years old. Since 1994, Steve had been bringing the iconic character to life, quickly becoming a fan favourite.

In honour of Steve’s passing, the soap’s writers have penned a touching death storyline for his beloved character, with Thursday’s episode featuring a tear-jerking funeral.

However, during the private family gathering, Zak’s long-lost daughter Tina, now portrayed by Samantha Power, made an unexpected appearance, leaving the family stunned.

As the Dingles remain at the heart of the ITV soap, viewers may feel a sense of nostalgia reflecting on past characters. Here, we explore where all the forgotten Dingle stars are now, from Brassic fame to Coronation Street roles, reports Leeds Live.

Ben Dingle

Ben Dingle, originally played by Steve Fury and now Steve Jackson, was the first ever Dingle family member to grace Emmerdale screens on August 9, 1994. Ben was one of Zak’s children, alongside Nathan, Butch, Cain, Sam, Tina and Belle. Zak fathered Nathan, Butch, Ben, Sam, and Tina with his first wife, Nellie Dingle. He later had Cain with Faith Dingle and Belle with Lisa Dingle.

Despite Ben being the first-ever Dingle to grace Emmerdale, his stint was brief as he only featured in one episode. Ben met an untimely end due to a heart defect following a brawl with Luke McAllister and Joe Sugden on the ITV soap.

Although his Emmerdale career was fleeting, actor Steve has since appeared in several popular television shows, including another ITV soap. After Emmerdale, Steve joined The Cops for 16 episodes as Mike in 1998 before moving onto Clockin Off in 2000 as Barry Sleight for eight episodes.

He then bagged the role of Trevor Dean in Coronation Street from 2010 until 2011. His recent roles include playing Kevin Wilson in Ackley Bridge from 2017 to 2019 and Jeremy Sharpe in All Creatures Great and Small back in 2020.

Butch Dingle

As the offspring of Zak and Nellie, Butch, portrayed by Paul Loughran, was a key member of the Dingle clan. Real name Francis Albert Dingle, he made his debut in 1994 before leaving in 2000. Butch, who earned his nickname from his dad Zak due to his sensitive nature as a child, was romantically involved with Emily Wylie (Kate McGregor) during his final months in Emmerdale.

In 2000, disaster struck when Butch was caught up in a bus crash in the village, resulting in severe injuries. Butch and Emily tied the knot while he was still hospitalised but he tragically passed away shortly after.

After leaving Emmerdale, actor Paul Loughran went on to star in a number of other TV shows. He had roles in Doctors, The Bill, Heartbeat, Mobile and I Fought the Law.

Paul also starred in ITV’s Blue Murder for six years as DS Butchers. He then decided to take a step back from acting and the world of TV in favour of a new career. For seven years after, Paul returned to university to train to be a primary school teacher.

He reportedly worked at a school in Blackburn until 2016 when he made a comeback to the entertainment industry in the drama Jericho. In the same year, he appeared as Darryl Perkins, the imprisoned father of Craig Tinker (Colson Smith) in Coronation Street. One year later, he also had a minor role in BBC medical drama Casualty.

Little is known about Paul’s life after 2017 as he hasn’t appeared on TV since. It is believed that Paul could have returned to his career in education.

Tina Dingle

Actress Jacqueline Pirie (now Chadwick) portrayed the role of Tina Dingle on the long-running ITV soap between 1994 and 1996 and fans can still recall the cunning Dingle’s time on the show fondly.

Tina is the daughter of Zak and his wife Nellie and made her village debut in December 1994. Tina was brash, brainy and a conniving Dingle who thought of herself as an outcast. But when she landed a job working at Home Farm for Frank Tate (Norman Bowler) she consequently tried to live a more glossy lifestyle.

Her most memorable storyline occurred in 1995 when she schemed to wed Luke McAllister (Noah Huntley) after ‘false’ly claiming she was pregnant with his child. The plot took a tragic turn when Luke discovered the deceitful revenge plot and their relationship, leading to his death in a van crash.

Tina bid farewell to the village in 1996. Two years post her Emmerdale exit, Jacqueline made a comeback on the small screen with a role in Coronation Street. For five years, she portrayed Linda Sykes, a factory worker who became a Weatherfield heartthrob.

She is best remembered for her passionate affair with Mike Baldwin (Johnny Briggs) before leaving the soap in 2001. Jacqueline has since traded the spotlight for a more tranquil life as a writer. The mother of two is married to Simon Chadwick and they live in Canada.

Now based in Vancouver, the former soap star goes by the name Jacqueline Chadwick and has gained recognition for her successful crime novels. She has penned three thriller books: In The Still, Briefly Maiden, and Silent Sisters.

Each book revolves around her character Ali Dalglish, an ex-forensic psychologist turned housewife who gets entangled in murder investigations. Jacqueline has also ventured into business, establishing successful drama schools including the Jacqueline Chadwick Academy of Performing Arts.

The character of Tina Dingle is now portrayed by actress Samantha Power.

Delilah Dingle

Delilah Dingle, portrayed by Hayley Tamaddon, first graced the screens of ITV’s Emmerdale in 2005 as Zebediah and Colleen Dingle’s daughter. She made a memorable entrance as a runaway bride, ditching her fiance Jay and gifting her widescreen TV wedding present to Uncle Zak to secure a place in the family home.

Delilah quickly became known for her turbulent love life in the village, with romantic entanglements involving Carl King, Paddy Kirk, and David Metcalfe. In ‘true’ dramatic fashion, Delilah made an explosive exit from the show, conning David out of £20,000 they had stolen from his estranged father Eric Pollard, before fleeing the village in 2007.

Post-Emmerdale, actress Hayley, 47, has appeared on shows such as Stars in Their Eyes, Soapstar Superstar, Soapstar Superchef, and Dancing on Ice. In 2013, she bagged the role of Andrea Beckett on Coronation Street, a character she played until 2015.

Most recently, Hayley featured in Unforgotten in 2023 as Judy Mexbury.

Eli Dingle

Joe Gilgun brought Eli Dingle to life in Emmerdale in 2006, playing Marlon Dingle’s younger brother, a role held by Mark Charnock.

Eli arrived in the village penniless after being released from prison and took up work as a builder, much to the surprise of the Dingles. His return was not welcomed by all, particularly older brother Marlon, due to Eli’s history of mischief. During his stint on Emmerdale, Eli had numerous brushes with the law and conflicts with other villagers.

In a gripping Emmerdale plot twist, Eli, who’s been on a downward spiral, decided to nick the cash box from the B&B to cover his rent to Marlon. But he made such a racket that a sozzled Eric woke up and took a tumble down the stairs. Eli was horrified and tried to help but scarpered with the loot.

Sam stumbled upon Eric and got the blame for the theft, but Marlon tracked down his bro and told him to sort the mess out. Eli owned up to being the thief, said sorry to Sam, and told Marlon he was leaving for good to stop causing trouble. Before doing a runner in 2010, Eli gave back the cash box to Marlon, only it was empty except for an “IOU £400” note.

Post-Emmerdale, actor Joe Gilgun has smashed it with roles in This Is England ’86, ’88, and ’90, played Rudy Wade in Misfits between 2011 and 2013, and Cassidy in Preacher from 2016 to 2019. He’s currently killing it with his Sky comedy series Brassic, which he not only created but also stars in.

Brassic, the hit comedy series that first graced our screens in 2019, has just launched its sixth season and fans are already buzzing about the confirmed seventh series. The show, which centres around Vinnie O’Neill (played by Joe) and his band of friends as they navigate a life of minor crime with frequently comical and calamitous outcomes, also boasts big names like Michelle Keegan and Dominic West.